What does it really mean to be born again?
This is one of the most important questions in the Christian life. In John 3, Jesus told Nicodemus, “Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Those words were not spoken to an irreligious man. They were spoken to a respected religious leader, a teacher in Israel, and a man who knew the Scriptures.
In this message from Fannin County Seventh-day Adventist Church, Pastor Rusu continued the study on the meaning of being born again. The sermon showed that this experience is more than outward religion, emotional change, or a single moment in the past. Being born again is the work of the Holy Spirit in the heart, creating a daily awareness of our need for God’s transforming grace.
Jesus and Nicodemus
The sermon began in John 3, where Jesus told Nicodemus:
“Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Nicodemus responded by asking how a man could be born when he is old. But Jesus was speaking of a spiritual experience. He continued by saying:
“Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”
Nicodemus understood religious forms, Scripture, standards, and outward obedience. But Jesus pointed him to something deeper. It was not enough to know truth externally. He needed the inward work of the Spirit.
More Than an Outward Change
Pastor Rusu reminded the church that being born again is not merely:
- A psychological change
- An emotional reaction
- A fear-based decision
- A lifestyle adjustment
- A religious label
- A one-time experience with no daily renewal
People may change habits for many reasons. A crisis, fear, suffering, age, disappointment, or major life event can lead someone to change. God can use those moments, but the change itself is not automatically the same as being born again.
True conversion is deeper. It is the work of the Holy Spirit upon the heart.
Only God Knows the Heart
One important point in the sermon was that only God truly knows whether a person is born again.
We cannot fully judge another person’s heart. We may see outward actions, religious activity, spiritual language, or even impressive works. But Jesus warned in Matthew 7 that some would do great things in His name and still hear the words, “I never knew you.”
This should not lead us to despair. But it should lead us to humility.
We need assurance in Christ, but we also need daily self-examination before God.
A Daily Experience
Being born again is not merely a past event. It is a daily experience of surrender, repentance, spiritual awareness, and dependence on the Holy Spirit.
The sermon emphasized that the person who prays, “God, change me,” is showing evidence of the new birth.
That prayer reveals:
- Awareness of personal need
- A desire for transformation
- Humility before God
- Dependence on the Holy Spirit
- A willingness to be changed
- A recognition that we cannot change ourselves
The born-again person does not claim perfection. The born-again person recognizes the need for daily grace.
Born of Water and the Spirit
Jesus told Nicodemus that a person must be born of water and the Spirit.
In the sermon, Pastor Rusu explained that Nicodemus would have understood the idea of ritual cleansing and the process by which Gentiles were received into the Jewish community. But Jesus took the idea further.
Outward cleansing was not enough.
Knowledge of the Torah was not enough.
Religious identity was not enough.
A person needed the work of the Spirit.
This is still true today. Church membership, Bible knowledge, religious background, and outward obedience are important, but they cannot replace the inward renewing work of the Holy Spirit.
The Natural Man and the Spiritual Man
The sermon also pointed to 1 Corinthians 2, where Paul writes that the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God because they are spiritually discerned.
This connects directly with Jesus’ words:
“That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”
A natural person may understand religious words, attend church, or follow outward forms. But spiritual discernment comes from the Holy Spirit.
To be born again means to receive spiritual life from above.
David’s Moment of Awareness
Pastor Rusu then walked through three Bible stories that reveal a common spiritual principle.
The first was David.
After David sinned with Bathsheba and arranged the death of Uriah, Nathan the prophet came to him with a story about a rich man who took a poor man’s lamb. David became angry at the injustice. Then Nathan said:
“You are the man.”
At that moment, David’s eyes were opened. He saw himself. He confessed, “I have sinned against the Lord.”
This was a moment of spiritual awareness. The Holy Spirit brought conviction. David stopped defending himself and admitted his need.
Nebuchadnezzar Lifting His Eyes to Heaven
The second story was Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4.
The king was warned through a dream that his pride would bring him low. For a time, he ignored the warning. Then, in his pride, he praised his own power and glory.
Judgment came, and he lost his reason.
But after the appointed time, Nebuchadnezzar lifted his eyes to heaven, and his understanding returned. He blessed and honored the Most High God.
This was another moment of awareness. The proud king recognized that God rules over all.
The Prodigal Son Coming to Himself
The third story was the prodigal son in Luke 15.
He left his father’s house, wasted his inheritance, and ended up feeding swine. In that low place, the Bible says he “came to himself.”
He realized his condition. He remembered his father’s house. He decided to arise and return.
This is a picture of repentance. The sinner comes to his senses, sees his need, and turns toward the Father.
The Common Thread
David, Nebuchadnezzar, and the prodigal son all had a moment of spiritual awareness.
Each one came to see reality:
- David saw his sin.
- Nebuchadnezzar saw God’s sovereignty.
- The prodigal son saw his need to return home.
This is part of the born-again experience. The Holy Spirit opens the eyes. The person begins to see himself or herself honestly before God.
A natural person does not see the need for change. But when the Holy Spirit works in the heart, the person begins to pray, “Lord, change me.”
The Closer We Come to Jesus
The sermon included a powerful thought from Steps to Christ: the closer we come to Jesus, the more faulty we appear in our own eyes.
That does not mean we are moving away from God. It often means the opposite.
As we draw nearer to Christ, our vision becomes clearer. His purity reveals our need. His beauty exposes our defects. His character awakens a deeper longing to be changed.
This is evidence that the Holy Spirit is working.
If we do not see our need, we may not yet have seen the beauty and excellence of Christ clearly.
The Story of J.C. Penney
Pastor Rusu also shared the story of J.C. Penney, the founder of the well-known department store.
During the Great Depression, Penney lost his wealth, became sick, and fell into deep discouragement. While receiving treatment at the Battle Creek Sanitarium, he heard the hymn “God Will Take Care of You.” He also heard the invitation of Jesus: “Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden.”
That moment changed him deeply. He later described it as being lifted from darkness into sunlight.
The story illustrates how God can use moments of crisis, conviction, Scripture, song, and grace to awaken the heart and restore hope.
What Being Born Again Means
Being born again does not mean a person has become perfect.
It means the heart has been awakened by the Holy Spirit.
It means the person recognizes the need for God.
It means the soul looks upward.
It means the prayer of the heart becomes:
“Lord, change me.”
Being born again is not one change forever completed. It is a daily dependence on the Holy Spirit to work in the heart, mind, character, and life.
Why This Matters Today
This message matters because many people confuse religion with conversion.
Some think being born again means having a dramatic emotional experience.
Some think it means changing a few habits.
Some think it means joining a church.
Some think it means knowing doctrine.
Some think it means being able to point to a single moment in the past.
But Jesus taught something deeper. We must be born of the Spirit.
The Christian life begins and continues by the transforming grace of God.
Practical Application
Here are several ways to respond to this message:
- Ask God daily to change your heart.
- Do not rely on outward religion alone.
- Seek the work of the Holy Spirit.
- Spend time looking at the character of Jesus.
- Allow God to reveal areas that need surrender.
- Confess sin when the Holy Spirit brings conviction.
- Return to the Father like the prodigal son.
- Lift your eyes to heaven like Nebuchadnezzar.
- Pray with honesty: “Lord, I need You today.”
- Remember that spiritual growth is a daily experience.
A Call to Daily Conversion
The great question is not merely, “Was I born again once?”
The better question is:
“Am I allowing the Holy Spirit to change me today?”
Every morning, we need to lift our eyes to heaven. Every day, we need to come to our senses. Every day, we need to admit who we are before God and seek His transforming grace.
The born-again life is a life of daily surrender.
Closing Appeal
Let us ask God for the true experience of being born again.
Not merely outward change.
Not merely religious activity.
Not merely emotional response.
But the deep, quiet, powerful work of the Holy Spirit in the heart.
May our daily prayer be:
“Lord, change me.”
Short Prayer
Father in heaven, thank You for the words of Jesus to Nicodemus. We recognize that we cannot change ourselves. We need the Holy Spirit to give us spiritual life, open our eyes, and transform our hearts. Help us to see our need, confess our sins, lift our eyes to You, and return daily to our Father’s house. Lord, change us today. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Discussion Questions
- What does it mean to be born again according to John 3?
- Why is outward religious activity not enough?
- How does the Holy Spirit help us see our need for change?
- What can we learn from David’s confession after Nathan confronted him?
- What does Nebuchadnezzar’s story teach us about pride and surrender?
- How does the prodigal son illustrate repentance?
- Why does the closer walk with Jesus make us more aware of our faults?
- How can the prayer “Lord, change me” become part of daily Christian life?